Business Casual appropriate?

muttigreemom

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Ok, so I'm having a hard time finding 'business casual' (or at least what I consider business casual) in my size and teeny budget.

Do you think I can get away with a pair of black (or grey or pinstripe) pants and a shirt like this? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...sin=B000OGVGJ4 along with a nice pair of sandals? Maybe some funky earrings or a necklace too?

Or do you think the shirt is too casual?
 

mybabyphx

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As long as the shirt is with black pants/skirt I think it would look ok. And it depends upon the sandals, I don't know if flip flops would be appropriate but nice sandals might be. Just put on a pretty necklace and some earings




What other options do you have?
 
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muttigreemom

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Originally Posted by mybabyphx

As long as the shirt is with black pants/skirt I think it would look ok. And it depends upon the sandals, I don't know if flip flops would be appropriate but nice sandals might be. Just put on a pretty necklace and some earings




What other options do you have?
Right now? None
But I'm working on it.

Skirts are out. I have to hide large tattoos.

Not flipflops... I mean like nice ones with a wedge heel and an ankle strap. I know sandals aren't looked upon favorably in other offices, but in Florida they're commonly accepted. Actually, in the summer months, you won't see women wear anything else
 

mybabyphx

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No, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with sandals.

In my office we wear regular clothes, no dress code, and I wear flip flops from Wal-mart.

When I said to wear a skirt, I was thinking of a skirt similar to the one (and only) skirt I have. It's long, black... it goes all the way to my ankles. It is a bit hot for summer months though.

I would think that shirt you showed would be acceptible!
Better then some of the clothes I have!
 
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muttigreemom

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Originally Posted by mybabyphx

No, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with sandals.

In my office we wear regular clothes, no dress code, and I wear flip flops from Wal-mart.

When I said to wear a skirt, I was thinking of a skirt similar to the one (and only) skirt I have. It's long, black... it goes all the way to my ankles. It is a bit hot for summer months though.

I would think that shirt you showed would be acceptible!
Better then some of the clothes I have!
Oops! My fault. When I read your reply, somehow my brain skipped over the "but nice sandals might be" part
Me thinks more coffee is in order!


Good call, I wasn't thinking of long skirts. When I venture over to target later I'll have to see if they are selling any. I might be able to get away with that. Usually any skirt I try on requires dress boots (like nice, heeled ones), but that's definitely too hot for FL in August!
 

momofmany

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I find that every office has a different interpretation of what is appropriate business casual. For some it means slacks and a nice shirt. For others it means docker like pants and a casual shirt. In my office Friday casual is jeans and a nice shirt.

The shirt you showed would work in my office as business casual, but as you suggested, with an appropriate pair of pants and some jewelry to perk it up. Worn without jewelry or with very casual pants it might be considered a t-shirt. Look around your office to see what everyone else considers casual, and pick the people that are of good standing.
 

mybabyphx

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Originally Posted by MuttigreeMom

Oops! My fault. When I read your reply, somehow my brain skipped over the "but nice sandals might be" part
Me thinks more coffee is in order!


Good call, I wasn't thinking of long skirts. When I venture over to target later I'll have to see if they are selling any. I might be able to get away with that. Usually any skirt I try on requires dress boots (like nice, heeled ones), but that's definitely too hot for FL in August!
This shirt is like $9.00

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5765525

This shirt is like $11.00
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5751208

Here in Arizona we have a place called Suzie's deals- everything is $5.00! The store is filled with clothes!

I also love goodwill- cheap clothes there!
 
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muttigreemom

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

Look around your office to see what everyone else considers casual, and pick the people that are of good standing.
Well.. unfortunately I can't do that this time... but generally, that's good advice


For the past few years I've worked from home, so my standard dress code is pajamas
But on monday I have to drive 3 hours to the main office of my new job for training. I'll still work from home from now on, so still a pajama dress code, but for next week only I'll be in their office. I've never been there, so I have no idea what most people wear there... and when I asked the manager on the phone he said 'yeah business casual... we're not fancy here'. And that's all I know.

So I'm kind of flying blind on this one.
 
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muttigreemom

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Originally Posted by mybabyphx

This shirt is like $9.00

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5765525

This shirt is like $11.00
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5751208

Here in Arizona we have a place called Suzie's deals- everything is $5.00! The store is filled with clothes!

I also love goodwill- cheap clothes there!
Yay Goodwill! Excellent plan.. I have to go there this weekend


I'll have to go back to walmart too. I didn't see that first shirt yesterday, so I probably walked past it. Looks good!
 

tarasgirl06

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Well, of course it depends on your corporation/business, not on what any of us thinks, but I'd think black pants would be fine; they might want longer sleeves and not so tight, depending on how they think, and some info I got off the web for dressing for business said, specifically, nothing too "funky", large, tight, revealing, you get the picture, so I'd keep it simple and they should accept it. Like, plain gold or silver jewelry and not too much of it, and a little looser top, with longer sleeves. But that's just me!
 

emrldsky

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Nuh uh...might give me away!
That would work out just fine. I work in a business casual environment and while some days I dress it up a bit (a nice blouse and slacks), I can get away with even khakis and a shirt like that.
The sandals are good, too.
 
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muttigreemom

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Originally Posted by Tarasgirl06

Well, of course it depends on your corporation/business, not on what any of us thinks, but I'd think black pants would be fine; they might want longer sleeves and not so tight, depending on how they think, and some info I got off the web for dressing for business said, specifically, nothing too "funky", large, tight, revealing, you get the picture, so I'd keep it simple and they should accept it. Like, plain gold or silver jewelry and not too much of it, and a little looser top, with longer sleeves. But that's just me!
No worries. The shirt actually isn't as tight as it seems in the picture. On me they're not supertight, but not baggy either. Sort of a nice middle ground that makes it hmm... 'form fitting' or more tailored I guess is the right word. Like they just fit nicely without looking like I was poured into it


I'll have to see if they have anything with longer sleeves too. I'll keep an eye out.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by emrldsky

That would work out just fine. I work in a business casual environment and while some days I dress it up a bit (a nice blouse and slacks), I can get away with even khakis and a shirt like that.
The sandals are good, too.
Yay good! Seems like this outfit is pretty much a winner. Oh this is such a load off my mind
I was almost convinced I'd have to go naked!
 

MoochNNoodles

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I actually have a very similar shirt. Well ok, one in blue and one in green! It's in a nice fabric and fits like you described that one. (I found mine at khols) I usually wear it with grey or black dress pants and I only wear dressy sandals in the summer!

Edit to add: Can I just say now that I am so jealous? 1 that you work in your pjs and 2 that you work from home! I'm such a hermit.
 

jellybella

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That outfit looks perfectly acceptable to me. I work in a business casual office for a large corp. Here, business casual means "not jeans, not flip flops and not a free t-shirt"
Dress sandals (meaning not flip flops) are also permitted.

A plain tee that is not too tight or loose is appropriate, especially in the summer. You can dress that up quite a bit with jewelry or a scarf. You may also want to invest in a nice light cartigan for those chilly offices.

No one expects you to have the lay of the land on the first day. In my experience the new hires are typically a little over dressed early on until they've had a chance to check out everyone else.
 

jenny82

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My job is business casual, and in the summer I wear shirts like that all the time with dressy pants and nice sandals. So I think it would be fine!
 

katl8e

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Originally Posted by mybabyphx

Here in Arizona we have a place called Suzie's deals- everything is $5.00! The store is filled with clothes!

I also love goodwill- cheap clothes there!
I LOVE Suzie's Deals. AZ is probably right along with Florida, as far as dress codes are concerned. I wear a lot of long cotton peasant skirts, with nice blouses, sandals or slides. I also buy a lot of button-down, collared shirts - sleeveless, long- or short-sleeved. They go with everything - skirts, pants or jeans (on Friday/Saturday).
 

mybabyphx

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Originally Posted by katl8e

I LOVE Suzie's Deals. AZ is probably right along with Florida, as far as dress codes are concerned. I wear a lot of long cotton peasant skirts, with nice blouses, sandals or slides. I also buy a lot of button-down, collared shirts - sleeveless, long- or short-sleeved. They go with everything - skirts, pants or jeans (on Friday/Saturday).
I was driving past Suzie's Deals last night and noticed that their prices changed.
Instead of $5, it's now $5.99. I guess they needed their extra 99 cents?
 
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